Corruption
threatens anyone who deals with “things man was not meant to know”. It almost
always comes from a supernatural source, though super science could also tap
into strange and alien realms. Exposure is measured in taint, and the more one receives
the greater the chance of side effects.
When a
character is exposed to a source of corruption the GM should note both the dose
and date. Each dose diminishes separately from all others. It takes 30 days in
a corruption free environment to start dissipating taint at a rate of 10 per
day. However, 10% of the original dose will never heal without outside help.
This can be magic, ultra tech, spiritual aid, etc..
Example: A
mage calls upon raw chaos to fuel his spell and takes 20 points of taint. After
30 days, that particular dose starts to heal at a rate of 10 taint per day.
After 2 days, 18 points are gone while the remaining 2 points, 10% of 20, remain.
Corruption Hazards
Magic: The use of raw chaos to
fuel spells or effects is the quickest way to accumulate taint. Every FP that
would have been spent counts as a point of taint.
Environmental Factors: Some areas are
steeped in corruption. They will have a rating of points gained in a particular
time frame. For example, a raw wound in reality may give 10/day to anyone in
the vicinity, while the site of a black magic ritual only gives 5/week.
Ingested Materials: Tainted material
has a similar rating to Environmental Hazards and will normally be listed
separately. Some are toxic as well as tainted.
Innate Attacks: Any attack with the
Corrupt damage modifier delivers one taint per point of damage rolled.
Effects of Taint on
Living Things
When a
living being accumulates at least one point of taint, but no more than once per
day, for continued exposure to a given source, they must make a Will roll. On
the Corruption Effects table below, find the current, total, taint score in the
Taint column. Apply the modifier in the “Will” column to their Will roll. Then
roll the dice. Use the first result in the “Effect” column on a critical
success, the second on a success, the third on a failure, and the last one on a
critical failure.
|
Corruption
Effects Table
|
||
|
Taint
|
Will
|
Effects
|
|
1-25
|
+0
|
–/–/A/B
|
|
26-75
|
+0
|
–/A/B/C
|
|
76-250
|
+0
|
A/B/C/D
|
|
251-500
|
-1
|
A/B/C/D
|
|
501-1,000
|
-3
|
A/B/C/D
|
|
1,001-5,000
|
-4
|
A/B/C/D
|
|
Over 5,000
|
-5
|
C/D/E/E
|
|
–
|
The dose has no obvious
effect, but doses continue to accumulate.
|
|
A
|
Tainted, gain a temporary disadvantage.
|
|
B
|
Minor Mutation, roll 1d-4
on the mutation tables.
|
|
C
|
Moderate mutation, roll 1d/2
times on the mutation tables.
|
|
D
|
Major mutations, roll 1d
times on the mutation tables.
|
|
E
|
By the whim of fate the
character either dies or becomes a demonic being.
|
Corruption and Nonhumans
The above
effects apply to humans and most other creatures. Some. Rare, creatures may
have Taint Tolerance. (See end of document.)
Protection from
Corruption
Some
materials, objects, or effects offer protection from a source of corruption.
These are given a Protection Factor (PF) that reduces your received dose.
Divide your dose by PF. For example, a PF of 100 means 1/100 of the dose takes
effect.
Other
effects offer an Armor Rating (AR) against taint. These work like standard
armor, but only vs sources of corruption.
A rare few
artifacts can offer both.
Treatment
Magic
offers the surest way to dissipate the lingering affects of taint, there are
several spells available for the express purpose of purifying an individual or
area. The same can be said for spiritual intervention.
Science can
hide the effects but cannot dispel taint on its own. At least not until you
reach TL 10+.
New Advantage
Taint Tolerance
Variable
You are
resistant to the effects of corruption. The cost of this advantage depends on
the divisor of the effective dose of taint you receive, after dividing it by
any other protection factor you may have.
|
Divisor
|
Cost
|
|
2
|
5 points
|
|
5
|
10 points
|
|
10
|
15 points
|
|
20
|
20 points
|
|
50
|
25 points
|
|
100
|
30 points
|
|
200
|
35 points
|
|
500
|
40 points
|
|
1,000
|
45 points
|
